Asian Shoemakers Get Set
To Fight Proposed Tariffs

China, Vietnam Gird
For Battle With EU;
Legal Help Enlisted

HONG KONG &ndash; Shoemakers from China and Vietnam are grouping together in an unprecedented effort to fight the European Union's proposed double-digit tariffs on shoe imports.

One result of such efforts, combined with intense lobbying from retailers in Europe and the U.S.: The EU's proposals are likely to exclude certain athletic footwear, an important distinction affecting the fortunes of some of the world's major footwear names such as Adidas-Salomon AG and Nike Inc.